Here's Thumper, looking quite relaxed on my oriental carpet. The old boy has started getting a bit senile lately. 🙁 And he seems to be having the exact same kidney problems that my other cat had before she died. 🙁 Too weird, really.

Tomorrow is the booksigning in Honolulu! Several of my friends and fellow writers are getting together to sign copies of Strong Currents 2. It should be lots of fun, and it's my first booksigning so I'm looking forward to it.

Otherwise, my life is starting to go sideways (yep, stole that from the movie). The packers come in three weeks. Family will be here in four. There are things to sort, throw away, separate, etc. Cars to ship. And my husband has a ton of military appointments to slog through. So I expect, with all that's going on, that my blogging will get spotty very soon. Nor is it likely to be intelligent when it does occur. 🙂

Did I mention I'm a presenter at the Bamboo Ridge Writers' Institute conference in two weeks? Yep, so I've got that going on as well. And RWA this weekend. And I'm coordinating and taking care of the arrangements for the chapter luncheon, which is Nov. 4 in Waikiki. Whew!

But most of all — MOST of all — I am so going to MISS my friends here in the islands. My writer pals who've meant so much. My drinking buddies who crack me up. My priest, who is a friend first and priest second. I'm also going to miss the ‘aina and the feeling of ohana. I think we've made the right decision for a variety of reasons, but it saddens me too. I'm going to love being with family again, but I'm going to miss the ohana I leave behind. 🙁

Now, for fun, if you could live ANYWHERE in the world, where would it be and why? I don't mean permanently, unless you know that about yourself, but somewhere you'd like to be for a few years. I've lived in Asia very briefly, several states, and Europe. I think I'd choose Venice, Italy. Florence would be a close second. But neither one permanently. 🙂 (Both cities for the gorgeous art and sculpture, and for the Italian lifestyle: great food, great wine, la dolce vita, great coffee, fabulous clothes and style.)